Keepsake of the Week: “sincerely, e” by Elizabeth & the Catapult
“sincerely, e” is the fifth studio album from Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Elizabeth & the Catapult and this week’s #KOTW.
In this semi-weekly blog series, we post our favorite new or re-discovered releases in independent music, our Keepsake of the Week, or #KOTW.
It’s always the best when Elizabeth & the Catapult releases new music. As a fan of Elizabeth for the past decade and someone who has attended a handful of her shows in NYC, I was highly anticipating this album release.
‘sincerely, e’ sits in a different place than her previous record (Keepsake, 2017); many of these songs were written alone and self-recorded in Elizabeth’s living room. This ‘solitary’ record felt like she was singing directly to me in my living room.
The whole album feels like a fluid story, while also telling unique narratives with each song--a recipe for albums that really stick with you. ‘birds & the bees’ immediately sets the mood for the record; it is sad and dark and awakening. I’ve always loved Elizabeth’s ability to pull off the atypical (I think one time she began a set at Rockwood with ‘Apathy’, one of her most somber songs that demands your focus and attention, and it was the greatest thing).
‘thirsty’ is an instant E&C classic, with its jazzy sass, snaps and claps, and witty lyrics. the instrumental at 1:40 in ‘the muse’, the only song on the record that she did not engineer and produce herself, is one of my favorite moments of the whole record.
But as always, there’s something about Elizabeth singing with just her piano that speaks to me. ‘together, alone’ is an incredibly relatable anthem about our relationship with technology and the meaning of true connection, as made even clearer this past year in quarantine. ‘apocalypse in A major’ holds a special place in my heart for its mostly sad but somehow uplifting message, held together with unexpected melodies and Elizabeth’s extraordinary piano playing and gorgeous voice.
Stream “sincerely, e” on Spotify now.
Photo: Seth Caplan